Despatching system for banks of elevators and the like



Oct 8, 1935. R HE 2,016,615

' DISPATCHING SYSTEM FOR BANKS OF ELEVATORS AND THE LIKE Filed June 3,1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEDESPATCHING SYSTEM FOR BANKS oF' ELEVATORS AND THE LIKE Henry LeopoldRoger Roche, Paris; France, as-

signor to Socit Anonyme Etablissements Edoux-Samai'n, Paris, France 7Claims.

The present invention relates to an electrical controlling device forcalling or despatching passenger elevators or freight elevators,particularly adapted for installations comprising several ele- 5 vatorsand the latter being of the known type wherein at each floor is locateda single call button, which is common to all the elevators. A selectorand a registering apparatus are connected in a known manner, with therelays and contacts 10 for the control of the elevators.

My invention is particularly applicable to anelevator despatching systemwherein a single button on each floor controls a plurality of elevatorsand records the floor signals as transmitted and 15 sends the firstavailable car to the calling floor. My invention will be betterunderstood from the following specification and accompanying drawingswherein:

Figure 1 shows the novel features of the system of my inventionincluding the control relays and their wiring and,

Figure 2 shows the operating system of a bank of elevators to which mydespatching system has been applied.

25 Inknown elevator controlling means of this type, the principal aim isto utilize in the most advantageous way possible, each unengaged car ofa bank of elevators.

A somewhat satisfactory result may be had with 30 known installations byusing cars of a relatively large capacity, for instance, sufficient toaccommodate ten or more persons, and providing contrcl means adapted tostop the elevator car at an'intermediate floor during its travel, sothat the car is brought to a stop at the floor where the call is madethereby allowing the passenger to board the elevator before the samecontinues the journey to its original destination.

Such elevator installations aim to provide for the transportation of aconsiderable number of passengers on one trip, which is, for example,the case in installations of large stores or buildings having arelatively large number of stories. In 45 practice, such knowninstallations present numerous inconveniences, if the capacity of thecars is reduced to five or six persons.

During particularly rush hours, the upper and lower floors are alonepractically served, because the care may be filled at the start andconsequently unable to accommodate passengers at intermediate floors.

Therefore, the intermediate floors can never be assured of satisfactoryservice since the cars respend to calls according to a set order and thecallsare not responded to in accordance to their priority.

Hence, in the known installations, an intermediar-y call, thatihacalloriginating at one of the intermediatefioors, can be responded to during5 the travel ofthe car, and each passenger must pay especial attentionwhen the car stops at a certain floor, and that because ofthepossibility that the car is responding to calls from intermediatefloors- Therefore, the passenger cannot, under these conditionsbecertain that the car will first stop-at the floor desired.

Contrary to the known elevator controls, the present invention does notespecially contemplate thesolutionof the problem of complete individualutilization ofcalling means for each car taken separately. In fact, theelevator installati'orpcompri'sing the novel control of the cars isdistinguished from known installations above referredto by the followingpeculiarities:

l. The capacity of the cars-is relatively small, forexample, two'tofourpersons, or in the case of a factory freight elevator, the loads may bedivided in three or four parts.

2; When a car is first placed in motion by actuation of a: call button,in responding to this call, the car completely answers the call andreaches the desired floor. The calls originating at the intermediatefloors have no effect on this car.

3. When'the cars are all occupied, the calls are first registered andresponded to just as the cars become available and ina determinedconsecutive order. A call from a floor button will be responded to onlyafter the control order signals from the cars are completely executed.

This=system is advantageously used with the type'of elevator carprovided with a depressible floor platform upon which the passengerstands and which actuates a control circuit.

The users,.therefore, by means of the new sys- 40 tom; are served'individually so to speak. Consequently;.thenew' elevator installation isparticularly devised for buildings having a relatively small numberofstories-and for relatively short car'travel-where it is not aimed toobtain a determined amount of performance from each. car perminutabutwhere due to the complete automatic feature of theinstallation, the passengers may run the elevators" themselves, whicheliminates thene'cessity of an attendant.

The control elements' of the present system are the buttons arranged-inthe cars, which in itself may be a known: arrangemenhthe buttons in eachcar being equalin number to that of the floors; According. to thepresent system, there is provided but one call button at each floor. Aselector, which may be of any suitable known type, combined withregistering means, forms a part of the control system of the elevators,and to realize the purpose of this system, the selector is connected toa set of relays suitably disposed.

The arrangement of the selector contact points is, in accordance withthe present invention, preferably circular. However, it will beunderstood that the selector contact points may be arranged differentlyif a particular installation so requires. The contact brush or fingerdisposed radially of the circularly arranged selector contact points,revolves and passes successively over said points, which assures thesuccessive response to all registered calls. The selector includes acontact point for each story for each elevator, and the contact pointscorresponding to the same story are arranged side by side.

In the operation of the system according to this invention, two casesmay present themselves:

1. The presence of available cars.

2. All cars are occupied.

In the first case, when a call button of a certain floor is pressed,each one of the group of contact points of the selector which correspondto this floor and which are equal in number to the number of theelevators, is energized if the elevator corresponding to that contactpoint is available; the brush rotates and passes from contact point tocontact point until it reaches the first live contact point. Theengagement of the brush with the contact point results in setting in motion the elevator corresponding to said contact point. This elevator isthen directed towards the floor from which the call was sent. As soon asit starts moving, the contact points correspond ing to this floor aredeenergized. It is to be noted that the selector brush stops as soon asit reaches the first contact point which is live and resumes itsmovement only under the influence of another call which has beenregistered and only if there are available cars.

If all the cars are occupied, the calls coming from the various fioorsare registered, that is, they prepare the circuits for the energizing ofthe selector contact points corresponding to said fioors, and for theoperation of the selector, provided no car is then on its way to thatfloor at the time the button is pressed. Relays provided with holdingcontacts are employed. As soon as a car becomes available (due to therelease of the depressible platform in the car, the closing of thedoors, and the elevator stopping) the selector brush starts moving andpasses from contact point to contact point until it reaches the firstenergized contact point. The available car corresponding to this contactpoint is then directed towards the floor corresponding to the call madeand this deenergizes the registering relay corresponding to that fioorwhich is actuated by the floor button. The selector brush then stops dueto the fact that there are no more available cars. If several calls areregistered, as soon as this same car or another becomes available, theselector brush starts moving and stops anew upon the first live contactpoint and so on until all calls have been satisfied. It is to be notedthat calls transmitted during the travel of the car have no influence onthe latter but are simply registered until one of the cars becomesavailable. The controls from the buttons within the cars have priorityover the calls originating from the fioors.

It is also to be noted that one of the floors, which is generally thelobby, will require more service than the others. It is thereforeimportant that at least one elevator be always available at this lowerfloor. The present system satisfies this latter condition, in that thesystem operates in such a manner that if no one of the cars is at thelobby, a call for this floor is automatically registered by contactsmounted in the shaft and actuated by the car according to whether thecar is or is not in its terminal position.

As soon as a call, automatic or button, from the lobby floor is executedand the car arrives at the lobby fioor, the car is held there and doesnot respond to calls from the upper stories so long as another car fromthe bank of elevators remains available. The car at the main floorbecomes free to respond to calls only if the other cars are occupied. Acall from an upper fioor will be responded to by a car left available atthe upper fioors in preference to a car stationed at the main floor orlobby.

For a better understanding of the invention and to make the detailslikewise apparent, the following description with reference to theaccompanying drawings shows, by way of example, an embodiment of theinvention.

The present system is composed of two parts. Figure 1 illustrates thenovel features of the installation, and Figure 2 comprises knownelements which are combined with the features represented on Figure 1.reference applied to the conductors on both figures, will permit tofollow the circuits from one figure to'the other. i

In the example shown, it is supposed that there are four stories to beserved and three elevators.

On the drawings, the relays have been designated by numerals and theircontacts by small letters. Moreover, to facilitate reading of thedrawings, the elements particularly pertaining to the elevator A havebeen designated by numerals terminating by I, 4, and I; the elements particularly pertaining to the elevator B have been designated by numeralsterminating by 5, and 8; the elements particularly pertaining to theelevator C have been designated by numerals terminating by 3, B, and 9;and, the elements common to all elevators A, B and C have beendesignated by numerals terminating by cipher.

As will appear from Figure l, the selector MD is represented for clarityin two places. The ratchet wheel and the selector contact brush whichhave been shown in two places on the drawings represent the samearrangement. At the left, is seen the arrangement of the selectorcontact points and at the right the control mechanism of the selectorbrush.

For convenience in reference, certain of the more important groups ofreference characters are here tabulated:

1, 8, 9 terminal shaft switches.

l4, l5, l6 terminal relays (respectively for cars A, B, C).

2|, 22, 23, groups of hatchway door switches, one group for each car.

24, 25, 25 car door switches, one for each car.

30, 4B, 50, B0, floor button actuated registering relays (correspondingrespectively to floors I, II, III, IV).

3|, 32, 33 car platform switches (respectively for cars A, B, C).

44, 45, 45 car door operated relays (also controlled by floor hatchwaydoors) (respectively for cars A, B, C).

41, 48, 49 intermediate relays (controlled respectively by relays 5|,54, 44, by 52, 55, 45, and

The same characters of by 53, 5.6;. 46, for preparation and preliminarycontrol of the selector actuator).

5I, 52, 53; carplatformactuated relays (respectively of'cars A, B, C)-.

54,55, 56' moving car actuated reversing; relays with delayed release(actuated when car is in motion) (respectively for'cars; A, 3,6).

10, 89, 90, I00 floor push buttons (one for each floor).

81, 88,, 89; 9|, 92, 93; 94, 95,96; 91, 98, 99 despatching relays, onefor each floor. for each car, and controlled by the floor hatchway door.

I0 I I.04,,I01, II lzpush-buttons onpanel in car A.

I 02, I05, I08, I I2pushbuttons on panel incar B.

"13,106, I09, I I3; push buttons on panel in car C.

II8, I2I, I2'2-, I123, I,6.I, I62,. I63, brush on frictional contactors.

I24, I25, I26, I21, I28, I29, theusual elevator relays controlling motorand brake'circuits;

I3I, I32, I33, I51, I58, I59, rotating contactor disks.

I31, I38, I39} brake magnets.

I4I, I42, I43- elevator motors.

I44, I45, I46 elevator brake drums.

I6 0..- selector actuating relay.

I10, I80 step relays controlling theselector.

290 selector.

2 I 9, selector armature.

In accordancewith the invention, a call button 10,89, 99, I00, is placedat each floor, but for the sake of clarity, these buttons have not beenrep resented at their normal: position. They have been shown adjacentthe floor button actuated registering relays 30, 40, 59, and 60 whichare controlled by these buttons. The action of these When the floorbutton relays 30, 49, 50, 60 are energized, they act to respectivelyclosetheir contactsa, b, c, d, e.

The closingof contacts;39e, 49c, 50c, 606 results in the holdingrespectively of the corresponding relays 30, 40, 50, 60 by connectingthem directly to the terminal P of the source of current without passingthrough the button 19, 80, 99, I00.

The closing of contacts 30a, 22, 0, contacts 46 a, b, 0, contacts 590.,b, c, and contacts 60 a, b, c, resultsin respectively connecting one ofthe supply terminals otthe source of electric current with a series ofcontact points II, 12, 13, 14 to 83, by

means of the respective contacts 5Ia, 54a, 44a, 52a, 55a, 45a, 53a, 56a,45a and of the groups of two circuits placed in parallel and certain ofwhich comprise the respective contacts 4812,4919, contacts 490, 412),contacts 480, 41c and the others comprising the respective contacts I40,I50, I60.

Adjacent contact points H, 12, 13 to 83 there are placed othercorresponding contact points 51,

i 58, 59,6I to 69 respectively which are connected 1 These relays areenergizedeitherbythe-circuits hereinbefore described, or by action ofthe buttons; I .0.I, I04, I01, III,buttons I02, I05, I08, H2, andvbuttons I03, I96, I09; II'3f, mounted on the panel in the car, andwhich, asv stated, have not been shown at, their normal location. Theenergization by these buttons takes place by means of the circuits:supply terminal P 440, 54c; circuit P 450, 55c; circuit P 460, 560. Theclosing of contacts 810., 9Ia, 94a, 91a, contacts 88a, 92a, 95a, 98a,and contacts 89a, 93a, 96a,.99a, results inv the respective holding ofthe corresponding. despatching: relays in connecting them by means ofcircuitP 440,. circuit P 450, and circuitP 460, to the supply terminal.P without passing through the buttons IEH to H3, or the special circuitsof the selector contact points. According to the invention, theenergization of despatching relays 61', 9|, 94. to 99 acts moreover toopen their contacts I), hereinbefore mentioned.

Said contact points 11', 12, 13 to 83 and 51, 58, 59 to 69 may berespectively and successively placed in contactv (11 with 51, 12 with58, etc.) by suitable means for example by the arrangement known as thestep by step selector. This apparatus is circular and its mechanism isschematically illustrated at 200. Its electric actuating circuitcomprises, as shown, the contacts 41a, 48a, 49a, and the contacts. 39d,40d, 50d, d.

Corresponding to the position of the car at the main. floor or lobby arelocated three switch contacts 1, 8, 9 corresponding to the elevators A,B, C. These contacts close the respective circuits of terminal relaysI4, I5, I6 each of these circuits being completely closed only if therespective contacts [5d, IISa, I612, I411, I51), I41) are likewiseclosed. These contacts are normally closed, but are opened if theirrespective terminal relays I4, I5, I6 are energized. It will be readilyunderstood that such an arrangement causes the first elevator to reachthe main floor to energize one of the corresponding terminal relays I4,I5 or I6. This energization prevents the subsequent energization of oneof the other two terminal relays when a second car reaches the mainfloor which is supposed to be the floor I upon the drawings.

The energization of a terminal relay I4, I5 or I6 likewise acts to openone of the contacts I4d, I5d, I6d which are connected in series.

The excited terminal relay I4,. I5 or I6 likewise acts to open. thecorresponding contacts I40,

I50, or I6c. It follows that the arrival of the first elevator car, atthe main floor acts to open oneqof the two circuits feeding the currentto the selector contact points-corresponding to said elevator car.

In accordance with the present invention, the contacts b of relays 5|,54, 44, the relays 52, 55, 45; and the relays 53, 56, 46 respectivelyclose the circuits of relays 41, 48, 49.

The moving car actuated reversing relays 54,

55, 56, and the car platform actuated relays 5!,

52, 53 are energized and their contacts I) respectively opened if theelevator car under consideration is moving or if the car platform islowered under the-weightv ofa passenger. The car door operated relays44, 45, 46 are deenergized and their contacts b opened if a door of thecorresponding elevator is open.

It is to be noted that the moving car actuated reversing relays 54, 55,56 are delayeddn releas ing upon being deenergized so that'when anelevator car stops at a floor, a passenger has time touse the car. andto.thus' control=,the-energization of the relay or relays SI, 52, 53before the contacts of relays 54, 55, 55 are again closed.

The signaling devices have been represented upon the drawings only forthe third floor to avoid complication of the drawings. The signallingsystem consists of a suitable number of electric lamps 99b, 94c, 95c,96c, placed at each floor and respectively actuated by the floor buttonactuated registering relays 30, 40, 50, 60 and also by the despatchingrelays 81, 9|, 94, 91, the dispatching relays B8, 92, 95, 98 and thedispatching relays S9, 93, 99, 99. By means of the lighted lamps, it ispossible for the prospective passenger to determine at each floorwhether a call has been registered or whether a car is moving towardsthe particular floor and, if so, which elevator car.

The following explanation of the operation of the system will facilitatethe understanding of the cooperation of the different circuits of thepresent system.

Let it be supposed that the three elevators A, B, C, are available andin the positions represented on the drawings. The elevator car A hasreached the lowermost floor and has acted by means of the cam I placedon the counterweights 4, upon the switch contact 1, thus closing thecircuit from terminal P conductor I ll, contact 1, conductor II,terminal relay I4, conductor I1, rest contacts IEia and I6a of terminalrelays I5 and I6, supply terminal P occasioning the energization ofterminal relay I4. The rest contacts Ma and I4!) are open thuspreventing the energization of terminal relays I5 and I6, even ifcontacts 8 and 9 are closed by the respective action of cams 2 and 3.The elevator car C when reaching the main or terminal floor, closes thecontact 9 but for the reason above mentioned, the terminal relay I5remains unaffected.

The elevators A, B, C are available, that is, for each elevator which isstopped and at rest, the floor hatchway door operated switches, 2| forthe elevator A, 22 for the elevator B, 23 for the elevator C, are closedas well as the car door switches 24, 25 and 26, and moreover, themovable platforms 21, 28 and 29 are not depressed and contacts 3i, 32,33 are open.

The following relays are energized:

For the elevator A, the terminal relay I4 as above indicated and the cardoor relay 44 and the intermediate relay 41; elevator B, car door relay45 and intermediate relay 48; elevator C, car door relay 46 andintermediate relay 49. That is, for the elevator A, the circuit passingby the circuit terminal P conductor I0, conductor 34, car door switch24, conductor 31, floor hatchway door operated switches 2 I, conductor 4I, car door relay 44, circuit terminal P energizes the car dOOr relay44, and the circuit from terminal P through contacts Eli) and 54b,contact 44b, relay 41, circuit terminal P excites the intermediate relay41. Analogous circuits energize the relays corresponding to theelevators B and C.

The buttons 19, B0, 99, and I00 are the call buttons for the variousfloors there being one button per floor. In order to eliminate uselesscomplication of the drawings, these buttons have not been shown at theirusual positions. These call buttons cause the energization of theirrespective floor button actuated relays 30, 40, 50, and I50 whichregisters the call and, due to their holding contacts 39c, 49c, 50c, and60a, remain energized as long as the following circuits remain closed.For floor button relay 39: conduc tor IIII, rest contacts 81b, 88b, 8%,supply terminal P for relay 4U: conductor I20, rest contacts 9Ib, 92b,9%, supply terminal P; for relay 50: conductor I30, rest contacts 94?),95b, 96b, supply terminal P for relay 69: conductor I40, rest contacts91b, 93b, 9%, supply terminal P Each of these circuits is opened as soonas one of the three elevators is directed towards the floorcorresponding to the floor button registering relay which controls thiscircuit. The despatching relays 91, 88, 89 and 9| to 99 are in fact, therelays for elevators A, B, and C which correspond to particular floors.For example, the relay 95 is energized when. the elevator B is directedtowards the third floor, as will be more fully described hereinafter..

It will be appreciated that the contact points H, 14, 11, 8I of theselector which correspond to the elevator A, can not be energized, sincethe terminai relay I4 itself is energized and the contact He opened,unless the circuit passing through 84, rest contacts 49b, 4811, contact44a, rest contacts 54a and 5m, supply terminal P is closed. In thiscase, only the contact points corresponding to certain floors or callswhich are registered, will be energized clue to contacts 39a, 40a, 50a,and 60a. In order that the contacts 49b, 48b may be closed, it will benecessary that the relays 49 and 48 be deenergized, for

which purpose it will be necessary that the elevators B and C beoccupied. For example, the elevator B is not available and the relay s9is deenergized either if the contact 451) is open or if the rest contact551) is open, (elevator in motion) or if the rest contact 52b is open(with a passenger in the car and the movable platform depressed) as willhereinafter appear.

If the call button 99 of the 3rd floor is pressed, the circuit I39passing through rest contacts 94b, 95b, 99b being closed, the floorbutton actuated relay 59 registers the call and remains energized due toits holding contact 59c, even if the floor button 90 is no longerpressed. An auxiliary contact controlled by this relay, but shown on thedrawings as 90a only for floor button 99, illuminates an indicatinglight or signal 99b placed adjacent the call button and indicates thusthat the call is registered. The three eontacts 59a, 50b, 500, areclosed, and the contact points 18, 19 are energized. The contact point11 is not energized because the circuit 84 passing through rest contacts49b, 48?), (intermediate relays 49 and 48 energized, elevators B and Cavailable) and the circuit 84 passing through the rest contact I40(terminal relay I4 energized) are open. The floor button actuated relay5!] likewise closes its contact 59d. The elevators A, B, and C beingavailable and intermediate relays 41, 48, 49 being energized, thecontacts 41a, 48a, 49a arranged in parallel are closed. The circuitpassing through circuit terminal P parallel contacts 41a, 48a, 49a,conductor iSil, contact 50d, electromagnet Hill of the selector,selector step relay I19, terminal P is closed. The selector armature Hi9is at this moment in the unaetuated position shown in Fig. i. and itsend which is opposite to the end which is acted on by the electromagnetis in ratchet engagement with a ratchet wheel of the selector 2%. The.current is insufiicient for the electromagnet I89 to attract itsarmature, but sufficient for the selector step relay I10 to close itscontact Ilfla. The secondary selector step relay I99 is energized, itsarmature Ia shunts the winding of 75 relay I10, and terminal P isconnected directly to selector winding I60 so that armature 2I0 ofselector 200 is actuated and acts on the ratchet wheel. The step relaysI10 and I8!) release, the armature 2H3 resumes its rest position and theselector brush advances over a contact point, which process is repeated.The contact point I8 is reached, the circuit passing through I8, 55,despatching relay 95, conductor II5, brush H8,

contactor disk 532, contact I22, rest contacts.

I25e, the actuating winding of lift motor control relay I28, and theterminal P is closed. The floor despatching relay 95 and the lift motorcontrol relay I28 of the elevator B are energized. The despatching relay95, due to its holding contact 95a remains energized even if the contactpoints I8, 65 are disconnected; provided, of course, the safety car dooractuated contact 450 remains closed. The despatching relay 95 by itsauxiliary contact 95k lights the luminous signal 550 at the floor III,indicating thus to the person making the call at that floor, that theelevator B is responding to the call.

The despatching relay 55 opens its contact 55b thus causing the openingof the circuit passing through the floor button relay 5E], conductorI30, contacts Mb, 95?), 95b, and the floor button relay 5i] releases.The contact 55d opens and, as it is supposed that the registering floorbutton actuated relay 5!) alone is excited (floor button relays 30, 40,65 being unactuated), the selector mechanism receives no current andtherefore instantly stops, the brush remaining upon the contact points55, I8. The condenser I95 serves to regulate the speed of the selector.The motor control lift relay I28 closes its contact (1 which, fromterminal P through the conductor I35 energizes the moving car relay 55.The rest contact 55b opens and the relay 48 releases, the elevator B isin use. The electromagnet of the brake for the elevator B is energizeddue to the closure of contact Iildc. The brake drum I45 is released. Theterminal ll of the motor is energized. The other two motor terminals I52and I55 are likewise energized through the contacts I252) connecting thesupply terminal P to I52, and through contact IZZila connecting thesupply terminal 1 to I55. The operation of the motor causes the elevatorcar to move by means of cables in the usual manner. The two contactordisks I32 and I58 are displaced proportionally to the car, beingactuated by the car by known reduction means. The disks rotate until aninstant when the brush contactor Itii assumes a position between the twodisks. This causes interruption of the circuit, the despatching relay 95and the relay I28 release, the brake is actuated, the motor isdisconnected and the elevator B stops at the third floor. The delayedaction moving car relay 55 releases gradually thus reestablishing itscontacts a, b, c, with a certain retarded action permitting thepassenger to have time for opening the door. The circuit passing fromthe supply terminal P through rest contacts 522), contact 451), thusremains open and the relay A8 remainsunactuated (the elevator not beingavailable) In fact, if the contact 55b closes, the opening of the doorof the elevator B at the third floor has opened the circuit of car dooroperated relay 45 which releases thus opening contact 455. The passengerenters the car and consequently depresses the movable car platform ofcar B. The contact 32 is closed and allows energization of car platformactuated relay 52 which, through its rest contact 521) which opens,keeps the intermediate relay 48 unactuated even though the closure ofthe doors brings about the energization of car door operated relay 45and the closing of contact 451). The elevator B remains unavailable forcalls made from the floors.

The passenger presses the car button I55 for the second floor, thisbutton, for sake of clarity, has not been shown as in the elevator car,but adjacent the despatching relay 52 corresponding to the second floorand which is controlled by that button. The actuation is made in themanner hereinbefore described, but the circuit coming from thedespatching floor relay 92 passes through the friction contact I52, themotor control drop relay I25, to return to the supply terminal P Uponarriving at the second floor, that is, floor II, the passenger steps outof the car. The relay 52 actuated by the movable car platform releases,and when the doors are closed, the energization of the car door relay 45closes the contact 45b, which energizes the intermediate relay 48. Theelevator B then becomes available.

Coming back to the initial state, if it is now supposed that two callsare simultaneously made and registered by floor button actuated relays55 and 59 (calls from floors III and IV), as hereinbefore mentioned, thebrush passing over the contact points 55'I8 sends the elevator B to thefloor III and deenergizes the floor button actuated relay 55. The floorbutton actuated relay 50 remaining energized and maintaining its contactd closed, keeps the selector rotating through the circuit passing by theconductor I55, rest contact I50, contact 46a, rest contacts 55a and 53a,supply terminal P for the elevator C is supposed to be available. Thebrush continues its movement until it reaches the contact points 69, 83and. the elevatorC answers the second call in the same manner as done bythe elevator B. Its corresponding despatching floor relay 99 isenergized and the floor button actuated relay 60 returns to theunactuated position stopping the selector. The elevators B and C beingin use, the intermediate relays 48 and 49 are released, the restcontacts 48b and 4% close the circuit which shunts the contact I lcwhich is at the moment opened. In case of a new call, for example atfloor II, the contact point I4 is excited and the elevator A, supposedlyavailable, will respond to this call although the terminal relay I4 isenergized, because the elevators B and C are not available.

If none of the elevators A, B, C are available, the registering of acall, for example by the floor button actuated relay 3! only has theeffect of preparing the energization of contact points II, I2, and I3 bythe closing of contacts 35a, 35b, 30c, and the control of the selectorby the contact 38d. The contact point H for example will really beenergized only by the closing of the circuit passing through theconductor 84, rest contact I 40, contact 44a, rest contacts 54a and 5Ia,that is if the elevator A becomes available. The selector will beactuated if one of the circuits passing through the conductor I55! andthe contact 41a or through the conductor I55 and the contact 48a, oralternatively through the conductor I58 and the contact 49a, is closed,that is if one of the elevators becomes available.

The control of the automatic recall to floor I takes place if theconductor 22!), indicated in dotted lines, is provided with suitableshunt connections. The control of registering relay 3!! which isnormally made by the floor call button, is in this case made not by thecall button III of the floor I, but by the circuit passing through theconductor 220, the rest contacts lGd, ld, Md and the supply terminal PThis control, therefore, occurs only if no elevator is stationed at thefloor I. If an elevator is at the first floor, one of the contacts 1, 8or 9 is closed. The corresponding terminal relay l4, I5, or I6 isenergized and one of the rest contacts Md, l5d or "id is opened, and noautomatic order is registered to send a car to the first floor, thiscontrol action will also take place if one of the elevators is travelingin the direction of the floor I when the conductor I I0, rest contacts81b, 88b or 89b is opened and the relay deenergized.

It will appear that it is impossible to pass the contact points of acertain floor, for example floor III, without causing the elevator toanswer a call made from that floor, if the registering floor buttonactuated relay 5!) corresponding to that floor has been energized bytransmitting the call. In fact in order that the selecting contact brushmay move, it is necessary that at least one elevator be available, andconsequently, there will be in the example chosen at least one of thethree contact points 11, I8, 19 which will be excited, and the controlwill be operated in the manner hereinbefore described.

It will be obvious that it is impossible to answer twice a call from onefloor before the selector brush has passed once over all the contactpoints corresponding to every other floor and consequently, satisfy allthe calls registered for said other floors. This is assured because thecontact points of all the elevators of the bank correspond ing to asingle floor are arranged side by said in the successive arrangement ofthe contact points.

The movement of the brush is made always in the same direction, andconsequently it will be evident that if the elevators are all available,it is always the elevator having in the group of contact pointscorresponding to a floor, the first contact point to be engaged, whichwill in preference answer the call, unless its elevator is stopped atthe floor which is calling, terminal relay I4, or l5 or IE beingenergized. In practice, since the elevators are rareley stopped togetherat the same floor, it is possible to evenly distribute the trailic to behandled by the elevators.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declarethat what I claim is:

1. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising aplurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively,a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groupsof despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each groupcomprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays beingconnected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electricallyactuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact pointscorresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected forsucceessively actuating said despatching relays through said contactpoints respectively, the contact poins corresponding to' the same floorbeing positioned adjacent each other, and individual means actuatable bythe operation of each of said cars connected for controlling thedespatching relays corresponding to said car through said selectoraccording as said car is or is not in use.

2. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising aplurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively,a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groupsof despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each groupcomprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays beingconnected for actuating said car motors, a 5 step-by-step electricallyactuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact pointscorresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected forsuccessively actuating said despatching relays through said contact 10points respectively, the contact points corresponding to the same floorbeing positioned adjacent each other, switch means in each caractuatable by the presence of a passenger therein,

a plurality of car platform relays respectively actuatable by saidswitch means, a plurality of moving car delayed release relaysrespectively actuatable by the movement of each car, a plurality offloor call registering holding relays respectively actuatable by saidbuttons, and inter mediate relays connected between said other relaysfor operating said selector when a call from a said floor button isregistered on a said floor call relay to actuate the despatching relayof an unoccupied available car at rest corresponding to said callingfloor.

3. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising aplurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively,a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groupsof despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each groupcomprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays beingconnected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electricallyactuatable se- 30 lector comprising a plurality of engageable contactpoints corresponding respectively to said despatching relays andconnected for successively actuating said despatching relays throughsaid contact points respectively, the contact points corresponding tothe same floor being positioned adjacent each other, switch means ineach car actuatable by the presence of a passenger therein,

a plurality of car platform relays respectively actuatable by saidswitch means, a plurality of moving car delayed release relaysrespectively actuatable by the movement of each car, a plurality offloor call registering holding relays respectively actuatable by saidbuttons, and intermediate relays connected between said other relays foroperating said selector when a call from a said floor button isregistered on a said floor call relay to actuate the despatching relayof an unoccupied available car at rest corresponding to said callingfloor, and said floor call register- 5 ing holding relays being adaptedfor storing unrespondable calls and being connected to said other relaysfor partially preparing said other relays to complete the response to anunresponclable call so stored as soon as a car becomes at 50 rest andavailable, and for rendering said preparation uneiiective as to aparticular floor as soon as a car is despatched to that floor.

l. In an automatic elevator despatching system tem for a bank comprisinga plurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said carsrespectively, a single button on each floor served by said cars, aplurality of groups of despatching relays comprising one group for eachfloor and each group comprising one relay for each car, said despatchingrelays being connected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-stepelectrically actuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageablecontact points corresponding respectively to said despatching relays andconnected for successively actuating said despatching relays throughsaid contact points respectively, the contact points corresponding tothe same floor being positioned adjacent each other, switch means ineach car actuatable by the presence of a passenger therein, a pluralityof car platform relays respectively actuatable by said switch means, aplurality of moving car delayed release relays respectively actuatableby the movement of each car, a plurality of floor call registeringholding relays respectively actuatable by said buttons, a plurality ofterminal switch means respectively actuatable by each of said cars whenstopped at a principal floor, a plurality of terminal relaysrespectively actuatable by said terminal switch means, and intermediaterelays connected between said other relays for operating said selectorwhen a call from a said floor button is registered on a said floor callrelay to actuate the despatching relay of an unoccupied available car atrest corresponding to said calling floor, and said terminal relays beingrespectively connected for automatically registering a floor call tosaid principal iloor whenever no car is stopped at said principal floor.

5. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising aplurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively,a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groupsof despatching relays comprising one group for each fioor and each groupcomprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays beingconnected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electricalllyactuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact pointscorresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected forsuccessively actuating said despatching relays through said contactpoints respectively, the contact points corresponding to the same floorbeing positioned adjacent each other, switch means in each caractuatable by the presence of a passenger therein, a plurality of carplatform relays respectively actuatable by said switch means, aplurality of moving car delayed release relays respectively actuatableby the movement of each car, a plurality of floor call registeringholding relays respectively actuatable by said buttons, a plurality ofterminal sadtch means respectively actuatable by each of said cars whenstopped at a principal floor, a plurality of terminal relaysrespectively actuatable by said terminal switch means, and intermediaterelays connected between said other relays for operating said selectorwhen a call from a said iloor button is registered on a said floor callrelay to actuate the despatching relay of an unoccupied available car atrest corresponding to said callin floor, and said terminal relays beingrespectively connected for automatically registering a iioor call tosaid principal floor whenever no car is stopped at said principal floor,said relays being so connected that no car at rest unoccupied at saidprincipal floor is despatched in response to a call from another floorso long as a car is available at rest at another floor.

6. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising aplurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively,a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groupsof despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each groupcomprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays beingconnected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electricallyactuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact pointscorresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected forsuccessively actuating said despatching relays through said contactpoints respectively, the contact points corresponding to the same floorbeing positioned adjacent each other, individual means actuatable by theoperation of each of said cars connected for controlling the despatchingrelays corresponding to said car through said selector according as saidcar is or is not in use, and a plurality of individual despatchingvisual signals at each of said floors corresponding respectively to eachof said elevators and actuatable individually respectively by theclosing of a corresponding despatching relay to indicate the despatchingof the particular responding elevator to the calling floor.

'7. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising aplurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively,a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groupsof despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each groupcomprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays beingconnected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electricallyactuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact pointscorresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected forsuccessively actuating said despatching relays through said contactpoints respectively, the contact points corresponding to the same floorbeing positioned adjacent each other, switch means in each caractuatable by the presence of a passenger therein, a plurality of carplatform relays respectively actuatable by said switch means, aplurality of moving car delayed release relays respectively actuatableby the movement of each car, a plurality of floor call registeringholding relays respectively actuatable by said buttons, intermediaterelays connected between said other relays for operating said selectorwhen a call from a said floor button is registered on a said floor callrelay to actuate the despatching relay of an unoccupied available car atrest corresponding to said calling floor, and a plurality of individualdespatching visual signals at each of said floors correspondingrespectively to each of said elevators and actuatable individuallyrespectively by the closing or a corresponding despatching relay toindicate the despatching of the particular responding elevator to thecalling floor.

HENRY LEOPOLD ROGER ROCHE.

